Mamma Mia!

There are 11 productions of the show: 8 stationary ( Hamburg , Las Vegas , London , Madrid , New York , Osaka , Stockholm , Stuttgart ) and 2 traveling (USA tour and international tour).

The Russian premiere of the musical took place on October 14, 2006 on the stage of the Moscow Youth Palace (MDM). Walked in the regime 8 times a week for two seasons. Over 20 months, more than 700 performances were played, which were attended by more than 600,000 spectators ^[1] . The closing date was scheduled for April 30, 2008, but at the request of viewers of Mamma Mia, the show was extended until May 25, 2008. The musical was the most successful in the history of Russian show business, setting a record for fees and popularity ^[2] .

After 4.5 years, after three other musicals, the show of Mamma Mia in MDM was resumed on October 27, 2012. A part of the old actors returned to the production of 2012 ( Elena Charkviani and Natalya Koretskaya as Donna, Andrey Klyuyev - Sam, Andrey Birin - Skya, Dmitry Golovin - Pepper, Vladimir Khalturin - Bill, Elvin Mukhutdinova - Rosie), and many new artists appeared (Anastasia Makeeva in the roles of Donna, Antonina Berezka and Maria Ivashchenko - Sophie, Vadim Michman and Kirill Zaporizhsky - Skye, Maxim Zausalin and Igor Portnoy - Harry, Eteri Beriashvili - Rosie).

March 14–16, 2013, special performances with a “golden” line-up were held, in addition to Elena Charkviani and Andrei Klyuyev, Natalia Bystrova was invited, who played the role of Sophie in 2006-2008, “the best Sophie in the world” according to feedback from the members of the ABBA group ^[3] . In addition, Natalia played several performances in April ^[4] .

From October 19 to November 16, 2013 the musical was rented in St. Petersburg ^{[5] [6]} on the stage of the Music Hall.

Act 1

The action takes place on the Greek island of Skopelos , where a tavern is located, which is run by the powerful and demanding Donna Sheridan. Her 20-year-old daughter Sophie secretly sends invitations to her wedding to three men late at night: Sam Carmichael, Harry Bright, and Bill Austin ( My dream ). On the appointed day, her friends, Ali and Lisa, come to Sophie to reveal the secret: when she is going to marry her lover, Skye, she dreams that the ceremony will be held in accordance with all the rules, and for this she doesn’t have enough - to take her to the altar same father, which is precisely the problem, since Sophie has no father. 20 years ago, Donna, herself not much older than her daughter, gave birth to her out of wedlock and only one thing answered Sophie: her father did not know anything about her, because they had divorced long before Donna realized that she was pregnant. But by chance, Sophie found Donna’s diary, which she kept in the year of her birth, and found out that she had three novels in turn that could lead to Sophie's birth, with Sam, Bill and Harry. Sophie finds these people and sends them wedding invitations, but she writes the invitations on behalf of her mother. She does not inform Donna herself ( Darling, dear ).

In turn, Donna herself invites the daughter of her old fighting friends, Tanya and Rosie, who were once her backing vocalists in their pop group Donna & Dinamos, to the wedding. Unlike Donna, they have no children, but Tanya has three marriages and a millionth fortune, and Rosie is not married at all, but she’s just as fun and easy-going. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that Donna's hotel business is not going through the best of times ( Money, Money, Money ). Later that day, Sam (an American architect), Harry (a British banker) and Bill (an Australian naturalist) arrive. Sophie convinces them not to tell Donna that she invited them ( Thank you for the songs ). Donna is surprised to see her former lovers ( Mamma Mia ) and leaves in tears. She, crying, explains to Tanya and Rosie the situation and they cheer her up ( Chiquitita ), trying to convince Donna that she can still be the same as in her youth ( Dancing Queen ).

Sophie, meanwhile, was confused: she hoped that she would immediately recognize her father as soon as she saw him, which was not happening. She is trying to tell Sky how she feels from all this, to which Sky tells her that he will be the only person she needs ( Just give me love ). At the bachelorette party of Sophie, Donna & Dinamos, wearing their old costumes, decide to rock the old one and perform their songs ( Super Troupe ). Sam, Bill and Harry accidentally go to the party and the guests persuade them to stay ( Give! Give! Give! (I meet a man) ). Sophie calls the "fathers" in turn to talk, and here interesting details are found out. It turns out that Bill had a deceased rich Greek aunt who, after giving birth to Sophie, took Donna to her as a nurse and in gratitude bequeathed to her all her money, for which Donna had built a tavern, but Harry had sketched the plan of the tavern for the sake of jokes.

Ultimately, when the trinity learns that Sophie does not have a father, they realize that one of them may be this father. Although Sophie asks them not to say anything to Donna ( This is the game ), each of the three volunteers to lead Sophie to the altar. Completely confused and therefore very upset, Sophie leaves the party ( Voulez-Vous ).

Act 2

Sophie has a nightmare in which Bill, Sam and Harry fight for the right to lead her to the altar ( I am under fire ). Sophie is upset and Donna, suggesting that Sophie wants to cancel the wedding, offers to deal with all the details. In response, Sophie is offended and reports that her children, at least, will not grow up fatherless. When she leaves the room, Sam comes to talk with Donna about Sophie, but Donna does not want to listen to him ( Someone ). On the one hand, she hates Sam, because he was having an affair with her, having already been engaged, which is why they broke up almost with a scandal. But now she admits that of the whole trinity, it was him who loved him the most, after which both admit that they would like to try to renew their previous love ( SOS ).

At the beach, Harry asks Tanya what the bride’s father usually should do at his daughter’s wedding. Tanya explains that her father gave money. After that, a young guy Pepper, who works in Donna’s tavern, tries to drive her up, but she rejects him ( If mom is not averse ). Sky learns why Sophie invited the trinity, and, upset that she did not devote him to her plans, accuses her of self-interest: in his opinion, she started the wedding just to find out who her father is. After that, Sam comes to Sophie and tries to give paternal advice, describing her unsuccessful marriage ( Knowing everything, knowing us ), but Sophie is not comforted. Harry comes to Donna and offers to pay for the whole wedding, after which they recall their romance ( This is summer ). Sophie comes to Donna and asks to help her put on a wedding dress. During this, Sophie finds out the sad truth: her grandmother denied Donna when she learned about the flight, which is why Donna and her daughter settled in Greece. And although Donna says that she does not regret that everything turned out that way, Sophie is forced to admit that no matter what her biological father was, he did nothing for her from what Donna did, and decides: to the altar Donna should lead ( Elude me again ).

Sam comes and tries to talk to Donna again, but she does not want to see him and asks to leave. He refuses, to which Donna reminds him of how much he broke her heart ( Whoever won is right ). It turns out that they are still very fond of each other, although against the best judgment of Donna. Rosie makes the last preparations in the tavern (the wedding will be held in the tavern) when an upset Bill arrives, who learns that Donna will lead Sophie to the altar. He states that he is always left alone, but he is attracted to Rosie, who encourages him to reconsider his views on life ( Test me ). Guests gather, Donna leads Sophie to the altar. But before the priest will have the opportunity to start the ceremony, Donna confesses to all gathered about the presence of Sophie's father. And although Sophie herself admits that she knows this, for which she invited the trinity, she finds out another unexpected truth: Donna herself has no idea which of them is her father - the intervals between the novels were so short that it was impossible to find out. All participants in the story agree that the father’s belonging does not matter, since Sophie loves all three, and they themselves are happy to be at least one third of her father. Finally, Harry, who often mentioned his “other half” throughout the show, admits that this is a man.

Suddenly, Sophie stops the wedding and admits that she is not ready to get married. Sam takes his chance and admits to Donna that 20 years ago he fell in love with her and terminated his engagement. He returned to Greece, but found that Donna was already having an affair with another (with Bill), after which he still married his original bride, gave birth to children, but eventually divorced. Donna forgives him ( Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes ). In the finals, Sam and Donna get married, and Sophie and Sky go on a world tour ( My dream ).

•   Wikimedia Commons has Mamma Mia related media files !
• Mamma Mia! (English) in the Internet Broadway Database Encyclopedia
• article about the musical Mamma Mia! on Musicals.Ru
• The official website of the Russian production of the musical Mamma Mia!
• Movie Mamma Mia! on YouTube